Are We Giving Female Rugby League Players the Right Tools?

This is a topic that divides opinions.

And that’s exactly why it needs to be discussed.

We often talk about developing female rugby league players properly. Yet, we ignore a fundamental question:

👉 Are we actually giving them the right tools?

👉 Or are we forcing them to adapt to a system that was never built for them?

Right now, no one wants to touch this conversation.

We Keep Comparing Them to the Boys — That’s the Problem

There’s a constant push to make girls “play like the boys.”

But that was never the case.

They are not boys.

And the game itself — whether people want to admit it or not — is different.

If you look at it honestly:

• The speed of the game is different.

• The agility is different.

• The explosiveness is different.

• The lateral movement is different.

  
  

That’s not an opinion — that’s reality.

So naturally, the way the game is played evolves differently.

You’ll often see:

👉 More middle play.

👉 Different shapes.

👉 Different decision-making patterns.

And that’s fine.

We don’t have a problem with that.

Same Game — But Not the Same Athletes

Here’s where it gets real.

We are different from the boys.

Yet we play:

• The same game.

• The same rules.

• With the same expectations.

  
  

And again — that’s fine.

But where it becomes a problem is this:

👉 We are NOT equipping them with the right tools.

This Is the Conversation No One Wants to Have

In my opinion, we are forcing female athletes to adapt to a system that was never designed for them.

The biggest example of that right now?

👉 The ball.

This Is NOT About Making the Game Easier - It's About the Female Rugby League Ball Size

Let’s kill that argument straight away.

This has nothing to do with making the game easier.

It has everything to do with making it fair.

When you break it down properly:

• Female athletes (on average) have smaller hand spans.

• They have different grip strength development timelines.

• Their passing mechanics under fatigue are different.

  
  

Yet we use:

👉 The same ball.

👉 The same expectations.

👉 The same development models.

Even though…

👉 They are not the same.

And Then We Blame the Player

Then we sit back and wonder:

• Why do handling errors increase under pressure?

• Why does passing break down late in games?

• Why does skill consistency drop?

  
  

But no one wants to look at the obvious variable.

👉 “This is a key part of athlete development.”

👉 The tool in their hands.

The Hard Truth

Right now in female rugby league, we spend:

• Thousands on programs.

• Hours on coaching.

• Endless reps on drills.

  
  

We talk about not having:

• The right coaches.

• The right programs.

• The right systems.

  
  

But we ignore a basic variable.

👉 The tool in their hands.

This Isn’t Fair — And Everyone Knows It

If we’re being honest, we are not comparing apples with apples.

A male and a female athlete have different physiques.

That’s not opinion.

That’s fact.

And this has nothing to do with equality.

It has everything to do with reality.

And Then We Blame the Player Again

We ignore the variables.

Then we blame the player when execution drops.

Handling errors.

Poor passes.

Fatigue mistakes.

But no one steps back and asks:

👉 Are we actually setting them up to succeed?

Because this isn’t development.

👉 This is poor system design.

If We Want a Better Game — Fix the System

If you want:

• Better passing.

• Faster ball movement.

• Higher skill execution.

  
  

Then you don’t just demand more from the athlete.

👉 You give them the right tools.

Every Other Sport Is Already Doing It

Look at elite sport:

• Basketball → different ball sizes.

• Cricket → different formats and equipment.

• AFLW → modified ball.

  
  

Why?

👉 To maximise skill expression.

👉 To improve quality of play.

👉 To fast-track development.

So again…

👉 Why are we behind?

What Needs to Happen Next

This doesn’t mean we change everything overnight.

But it does mean this:

👉 Trial it.

👉 Test it.

👉 Measure the outcomes.

If the goal is:

• Better athletes.

• A better game.

• Stronger pathways.

  
  

Then nothing should be off limits.

Closing Thoughts

The question isn’t:

👉 Should we protect tradition?

The real question is:

👉 Are we serious about developing female pathways properly?

If we are, then we need to start asking better questions.

Engagement Close

I’d love to hear what you think. Should we change the female rugby league ball size? Comment on our social media posts or contact us.

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